Do vitamin D levels affect antibody titers produced in response to HPV vaccine?

Abstract

In addition to its well-known effects on bone metabolism, vitamin D is an immunomodulating hormone. Serum vitamin D levels in males 18-25 years were measured at baseline, and HPV antibody titers were measured one month following the third quadrivalent HPV vaccine dose. Vitamin D levels were ≥ 30 ng/ml (normal) in 60 males and <30 ng/ml (low) in 113 males. Reverse cumulative distribution curves and scatter plots showed higher antibody titers with low vitamin D for all vaccine strains (P < 0.05). In linear regression analyses, antibody titers for all HPV strains were significantly higher among those with lower vitamin D levels and among younger participants (P < 0.05). These relationships add to the body of knowledge of the complex role of vitamin D in immunoregulation.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01184079.

Keywords: HPV vaccine; human papillomavirus; immunogenicity; immunoregulation; vitamin D.

Figures

Figure 1.

Reverse cumulative distribution curves for antibody concentrations after quadrivalent HPV vaccine administration, by HPV type and by total serum vitamin D level (P < 0.05).

Figure 2.

Distribution of log transformed HPV antibody levels (mMerck unit/mL) associated with total serum vitamin D levels (ng/mL).